Liquid replenishing system



July 6 192a J.' M. LEA

LIQUID HEPLENISHING SYSTEM Filed oet. 24. 1921 Patented July 6, 1926.

JOHN M. LEA, F DETROIT, MICHEIGAN.

Application filed (letoher S211, 1.921.

The invention relates te liquid replenishinlr fn/*etienne :idilipted ter ure ,in n'mintziiningg the desired level oil cooling; liquid .in the re,-l dietore ol? internal eonilnietion engine@` or in like relationships, and more especially eoneerned with n eyetern epplienble to inotoi fvehielee und ednilited to eupply liquid :from e `i'eeerve tzinl to the uenel nlotor vehicle rai di A ter.

The prineilml objeet olil tire invention ie te provide e. liquid Supply eteni including;` iny connection :from the redietor lo :it eonree oli eub-etinoeplierie preeiiure, euch, For eiren'iple, ne the engine intuire, zi @single eenduit Serving both ne .menne Yfor eizluiuetini: :iir

Ifrom the ii'edizitor and `lor enpijilyiiig liquid (thereto.

A `Further object ie to jinovide :in improved ireeerve eupplT eyelein iiljililirnble to oooliii'ii; ei/,ieleu'ie `:ind the like end :idiipled to oon-- dense vapors olf 'water or other eenling); .liquide und return. the eondenenle to the cooling Systenfi.

(Dt-her objects :rnd ndvenlngee will :iplienr ilroni the 'iiolliiwing deeeii'il'ition teken in eennertion withv the neeoiupenying drawings, .in Wliiieli.

Fig. 1 ifs e Side elemtii'in jinirtly in eeetion entering one embodiment o'' the invention applied to a eol'iventioiml motor vehiele power plant;

Fig. 2 ie n Vertical eeotionel 'View ol.I the reserve tank forming port of the eyeteni shown in Fifi'. l;

Fig. 3 is n similar View ehowing e inodiw fied forni of tank; and

Fig. ie n enlarged Sectional View showing.;` the Valve of Fig'.

Referring` to the drawings, l0 indicates in internal combustion engine provided with any nene-l or enitnble lorin ol cooling eyetei'n employing a cooling' liquid. The cool ing system as Shown includes n` radiator ll having en upper header l2 serving ne n Container for cooling liquid. The radiator provided with the usuel filling opening :it the upper portion thereof, 'which opening ie Closed by the oep 1?). The emp is prelerebhy provided with si trz'inepeii'ent portion lli through which the cooling liquid may be obeeriied li'roin the driveiel station oil the motor Vehicle.

A. pipe l5, whieli muy be the usual over-i i pipe prmdiled ,in eonneetien with etere el? the t 'tnnlii :treni u. niiet n. mi. iro lille Eerinl No. 510,061.

exterior el' the hendel'. l'lf' it be desired to nieintnin the level oil .liquid within the heeiler during,y et leest :i portion oil? the linie et :i point within the trnneifnirent porlion jlfl, the pipe .lil )nary be extended :ie :it 1G to :i point within the enid transparent portion.`

ln order to lprovide :i reserve eupplj.r lor lie ei'ieling liquid in the radiator, n. reeerve inni; lli' ie mounted in any eoiivenient lornlien. with i'oilferenee to 'the engine power pleut. i 'lflie n'ienini,` f'or supporting tliie tenli will be vnried in ni'rorifleiieo with the type el engine or the location oil2 the tenir. elion'n, the lnnli ie enpperted by lgniieliete iii :iiljin'eiit to the reni' o'lE the redizitor, which poeition rendere it poeeible both to ninlie the pipe rollin-lotion lo the radiator relatively iiiir'irt und to iilinijioee :uieh connection et :in ziiigijli-i 'l'neilitntingr dreiiinsie. The 'forni olf the tenir uni); :ileo be Widelfi7 veried, although erel'erli ler een vemenee in inann'lietiue and inliljg, the vertiriii o yliinlrieel ilorm illu.-

irluitnlile pipe litl'inge on the top ol n trink., ne et I9 :1nd 20, iifllloi'd menne Alor erinnerten; the tenli: ieein-iotiVel); to the pipe lli :ind to the pipe Eil, which letter exten-de lio7 und eeniieiifte `with the interior oli, the engine intuire ninnijlfold o in@l ef' ein. .f-lin overflow pipe il? limits the height to which 'the ehninber Q6 indy be .filled end provides an exit to the annee phere for the entire system.

il. tube 28 ie Secured in in aperture in the bottoni of the reeepteole 2d und extends downwnrdljii to n. point neer the bottoni of the ehinnlfier A second tube 539, eoneentrie with the tiret-ie secured in the cover 25 end may be ntteehed et ite lower end to the outer tube Fifi, ne et 30. The tube should extend :iliore the Cover f2.5 to provide e tillinn; opening` 'lor the elminliier E26, und muy be eleeed ne by the eerew enp ill Openings 32? l. the i of the enter 1r t flew o,n 1i 1 end the lUfi taleginanitold thronghfthe, pipe 2l.

space .Seibetween the. tiro tubes. A vent 35. may also Vbe provided in the Wall of the tube 28 above the level of theupper end of the orerrioir pipe 2?.

rlhe interior oi the receptacleV Constitutes a suction Chamber 36 which may be subjeeted to sutratinospherie pressure by reason ot the Connection to the eny lne inrl`his chamber, also cornn'iunieates-through a tube 37, fitting 19, fandpipe l5 With the, interior ot thefc'oolinej liquidqeontainer orv radiator, tlierebyenabling thevsame air press-ure to be produeedintlie topiot' the. radiator exists in .theehamber 1(4... The Coinniunieationot theyehainberfti with the engine intehe is eontrolledby. a valve :38 connected by a hooked or unirersel jointl to the stem ofV a float 40, situated Wit-[ 36.5 A-biseliet Lil serresto limitthe downward lmoi/ement of the filent.

The, votre, `which nriy, be 1 needleral-'Ve type,v is arrai o cooperate Witlia seetilijlforined'l pretVIL ably, as shown inifFigyt, infn sleeve member 43 suitably mounted in ithegrpipeel le ling from. the reeeptsele-Qc; tothe pipe tit ne; 20.. The value andwthof -steinot 'tliefloat iitv loosely Withinthe sleeve bl'to permit air. to .new throughv the1 vpessiggfe within the sleeve. ln order to modify the...piston action pot; the valve.,- 'grooves-151 inayebelrprovided on the exterior of the...slee5.ie,eu1hieh grooves .Communicate byfapertures ffl-61 with the passage adiecent togthefv .Valve seat.; Ey?- suits-bly proportion.

ing the air passages'and themieight et the movable.l partsyfthe ,valve may be caused Vto elosexvlienxthe pressure infthozintalre pos- -ssgesislonered to a predetermined extent bellow .that inrtlie suction chamber.

rlie-pipe 3T extends into. the chamber 3G e to a. point-below the float "'tl sotliatArhen the' vsli'e.liaszbeenclosed the .moi/ement oi: thextloatiin resonse `to the rise ot liquid-pin the;,eliainberA 36, they lonerv end of thepipe 37 .'Will be vimmersed in liquid.. t n'ill'be noted that the communication .between .the elia1nbers=26end 36 `thrt'iuggli apertures- 32'-, andaannulzir vpassage is restrieted so thatiliquid Willi tion' `more orless, slowly from the lower Chamber-tof thegupl er..l one under.l tlie influence of: sue-tion; inV the latter. Brt-his; means a tii'neeleinentis introduced Whi., i permits theaeraeuation,oit'elisniber tl ont uoitlienir,space .within the Container before liquid rises inthe Chamber Btl to suoli ...esitounterrupt.; the eonneetioi'i to thesuetionlino. y

ln tlrexinoditied torni .shon'n 1n Fig. thesuction.zeliainber oo., isformed Within the Wallseotta ooniealzreeeptaele 2d attached to thennderside'ofthe eorer of the out-er reeeptaelefw;` A tube, 9.8l extends from the reoeptagele Qlito a pointfnearithe bottoni. of the enter receptacle. The tube may be bent inthe elianiber j 'he ordinary g 'from the or coiled.` as shown, or the end inaj,7 be thittened, as indicated at 1li, or both expediente may be adopted to provide means tor restricting' the tion' `trom the outer receptacle to t-he suction chamber. Other erqiedients for reducing the rate oi tion" between the. two Chambers may. ot Course. be used it desired. Vent 35i may be prorided. as in the torni first deseribethot a point ubore the upper end of the or '/rtloir pipe il?. of tant; a till aperture is provided :it atti between the inner and outer reeeptaeles.

The operationis as follows:

The radiutor andreserre tanlr haring been tilled either through the lillinp; openingl at lil alone or through that opening undithe opening; at 3l or and the engine being setin operation, suction Will be exerted thereby inthe pipes 15 and 2l and the snrtion Chamber or 3G. and air will llou' troni theelianiber end from the spare in the radi a-tor abore the end oif the orertiov: pipe. .is e. result ot the pr tial raenuin thus produred, liquid will rise in the annular passage Set or in the pipe Q8, the rate ot tion' being slow br reason ot the restriction all'oided by the iernrandrsize ot pipe 2S or by the small openings at 32 and 33. With the lneansrelierredto last the lion' innard is rendered eren slower than tion' outward by reason ot the arrangement of opposite openings which permit two streams to enter to**ard eaeh other, thus .intertering` with the freedom of tio-w.`

The suction valve is designed to Close Whenever the pressure difference upon the two sides reaches the amount predetermined by the.proportioningl ot the weight and dimensions of the valve 38 and the weight 01C tliefiloat. However, itI such rlosinnr should not talrepiaee earlier, it will :it least ooeur when the liquid rises in the suction elnnnbei' -to a k.height sullieientrto lift the float, thus insuring that liquid shall .not be drawn into the `intake passages ot the engine. ln either case, after the valve iselosed, liquid will-continue to rise in the chamber v3G and-the radiator pipe 15 until equilibrium hasibeen established, the raeuuin produced being;- ,normallyv sutlieient to canse soine ot the liquid to he dise-horned into the radiator. lf the liquid reaches suoli height as tio litt thetioat, and it no rent is provided, eonditions'nill remain stabilized until the level ot liquid ft'alls, as by disehnrge oi gas or vapor radiator i as the latter beeoines heated Vor by other Conditions. perinittinlnr rise .of pressure in the suction elnnnbei', whereupon the operntionirill be repeated as soon as the suction in the engine intake issu'itieiently lon7L to permit the valve to open. lf the frequency ot operation under suoli` conditions is insutlieient normally` to canse.replenishing;` ofthe liquid in. question, or if for any other reason it is desirable With this torni Bti CIO

lll() lll) ias

to increase the frequency et operation, this result may be obtained by noviding the vent 35 or 35', the size oi the opening being such as to permit the air to enter asvsloivly as may be desired.. The rate of entry ot air may be reduced by locating the vent, as shown, so that it will-be covered. by liquid as soon as the latter flows into the suction chamber. The air admitted to the suction chamber through the vent relieves the vacuum and permits the liquid to iall Within a relatively short time, thus insuring more frequent repetition of the cycles oil' operation. This Will be of advantage not only ttor the purpose of quickly tilling the radiator should a single cycle be insutlicient to result in complete tilling, but t'or the purpose ot giving an indication ot satis'tacn tory Working condition ol the system, since the successive discharges are visible through the transparent. radiator' cap. .ln order to conserve the liquid, however, especially when non-freezing mixtures are in use, it is desirable to limit the frequency et operation to that required for replenishing the liquid lost from the radiator.

lit it is. desired to maintain a more or less permanent indication of the level ot liquid in. the radiator, the pipe 15 may be extended, as indicated on the drawing, to a point within the transparent cap. The normal level ot liquid att-er the apparatus described has operated to completely lill the radiator, or after tilling to such a point that expansion Will cause rise of the liquid to the overflow level, will then lie within the cap and Will give a very clear indication, readily visible from the drivers station in a motor vehicle, as to the functioning of the supplysystem, the occurrence of ebullition, etc.

Expansion of the liquid in the cooling system may take place to any extent necessary, overfioiv being permitted through the pipe 15 into the suction chamber and thence into the reserve tank and out through overlHow pipe 27. It will be seen that any vapors discharged from the radiator will traverse the pipe 15, the annular passage 34, or the tube 28', and finally bubble up, through the liquid in the reserve tank before being per mitted to` escape fromthe system. The apparatus therefore provides an efficient con denser` for steam or other vapors, retaining the condensate and returning it to the cooling system, which feature is especially dew sirable when a volatile non-freezing solution is employed in the system. y

The weight and dimensions et' the valve parte are so proportioned that the valve Will close by air lriction and remain closed when suction in the intake passage is relatively high, as when the throttle valve is nearly closed, thus preventing flow of air into the intake under idling conditions should the reserve tank become empty. Preferably the proportions are such that the valve will reniain closed during the greater part olf the normal operation ot the engine, particularly when a volatile mixture is being utilized as a cooling liquid, so that the loss o'l vapor by flow into the intake manifold may be re duced to a minimum. Variations in operating conditions, acceleration, etc., Which will permit the valve to open ttor a short time will occur normally, however, With sutiicient ifiequency to repleniish easily the liquid in the radiator. I have found that, in ordinary suinnier weather, the radiator ot' a i'notor vehicle on which the system has been used 'will be completely :lilled het-ore the vehicle has travelled as much as a mile.

lt will be noted that the apparatus which l' have devised may be easily and cheaply made and installed; that it involves very tten' Working parte, the most ot which are contained in the reserve tank; and that the structure may not only be ozu-iily applied to a motor vehicle power plant without requin ing special skill or knowledge on the part ot the workman, but may he readily modivtied to adapt it to various makes or types ot motor vehicles or cooling systems. Any such moditieations or other eluinges in mere details ot eonstriutiou l desire toho regarded as :falling within the scope ot the invention z s delined 'in the appended claims.

I claiin:

l. In apparatus o'l the classl described, a container 'tor liquid, a. reserve tank, a single conduit connectingsaid container and tank, means ilor applyingl suction 'to Withdraw gases t'ronn said container th rough said conduit thereby producingy a partial vacuum .in said container and moans -["oi' interrupting application oi' suction and thereby causing liquid to flow through said conduit trom said reserve tank to said container hy reason of the partial vacuum in said container.

2. In apparatus oit' the class described, a container :tor coolingl liquid, a reserve tanlii, a single conduit connecting said container and tanlr, a passage connecting said reserve tank to a source oi' sub-atinespheric pressure, and means tor controlling` tion' through said passage whereby gases may be drawn through said conduit and thereafter liquid may flow therethrough 'from said reserve tank to said container.

3. In apparatus ot the class described, a cooling liquid container, a reserve tanli: having a suction chamber, an open conduit be tween said chainl'uiI and said container, an engine intake conduit, a passage connecting Said tank to said intake conduit, and means tor closing said passage upon the occurrence oit predetermined difference between. the pressure in said iiitalte conduit and that in said chamber.

4:. In combination, a cooling liquid conm tainer, a suction chamber, a reserve tank till) lift) and a source of; sub-atmospheric pressure, both connected to said chamber, and. aV permanently open conduit Connecting; said eon` i to retard-the flow in saidv liquid supplying means froineaidtanlr -to said Chamber to ,permit--evacuationof said eontainer through the connection fromthe chamber to the eentainer. Y

6./ Infa reserve tank for liquid Supply systems, main reeeptaele, an auxiliary reeepf :.taele within the upperA portion or .the main receptacle, and a-eonneetion between the yinteriors of .said receptacles eomnrisinga. tube'lprojeeting-vfrom the bottom of vthe aux `iliary receptacle and a filling tube for the main receptacle.. carried.4 by said auxiliary receptacle.

` 7.In a. vreserve tank `vriter liquid supply eystems,- a ina-in-reeeptaele an auxiliary receptacle; 'forming-a @oyen for the said main receptacle, a connection between the interiors of said rreceptacles Comprising a tube projecting; from the bottom of the auxiliary reveeptaeley` and @trilling tube for the main receptacle extending through the, auxiliary re- -ceptaele and the-firsteinentioned tube.

87. In a liquidsupply4 system, a supply chamber, a Suction chamber, an airtight oon- -tainer, a conduit between said suction chaintank for Cooling' ber and said container through which frases mayl be Withdrawn from said Containern a connection between said supply chamber and said suction eluunber7 and means operative to interrupt the application ot suction to said suction elialnber after the level ot liquid therein risesabovei the intake ot said oonduitv thereby permitting liquid to be dra vn through said Conduit, to said container by reasonot the vacuum therein.

In a liquid supply system for engine radiators and the like', a suction Chamber` passages 'lor supplying. liquid to und dis chargingv it 'from said Chamber, a suetion connection between said chamber and the engine intake passages, and a valve for con-l trolling said connection. said valre eenstrueted and aimangedV tov Close in response either to rise of liquid level or to rise et suction beyond a predetermined liniit,

l0. The combination uit-h an internal Combustion engine having an intake passage and a radiator tor cooling; liquid ot' a reserve liquid the liquid in which is normally at a .lower level than the level of liquid in said radiatorfa suction chamber communicating' with said tank, a single eonvduitconnecting' Said chamber to the upper portion oi said radiator through which g1-ases may he Withdrawn from the radiator and :liquid maybe. introducedv under the vaeuuiu `when thev level of liquid in saidy chamber rises above the openingy of' the connection between the chamber and the radiator.

Intestimony whereof I- aiiix my signature.

JOHN M. ]QlflA. 

